Mali allows SADR to go after terrorists on its territory (official

Bir Lehlou (liberated territories), Dec 31, 2011 (SPS) - The Malian government reiterated that it allowed the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) to go after terrorists on its territory, the Saharawi Minister of Information said Friday in a statement, said Friday the Ministry of Information in a statement.

“As part of the fight against terrorism and across-borders banditry, the Republic of Mali gives the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic the right to pursue within its national territory the criminal groups,” said a message sent Friday by the Malian Government to its Sahrawi counterpart, quoted by the same source.

“The Government of the Republic of Mali reiterates to the Government of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, the text of the Declaration of recognition, in the fight against terrorism and across-borders crime,” the letter added.

The Saharawi Coordinator with the MINURSO, Mr. Mhamed Khaddad, denied the slanderous campaign led by the office of the French Press Agency (AFP) in Bamako claiming that the Sahrawis are involved in the kidnapping of two French nationals in Hambori (northern Mali) and the agency continues, for some time, through a series of dispatches, "without any evidence, that the Polisario Front engages now in drug trafficking, sometimes being connecting with AQIM or some Sahrawis, Polisario members, have formed a dissident of the terrorist organization.

“These information are part of a slanderous campaign sometimes claim that eight Sahrawis were arrested at the border between Mali and Niger and the next day, two Sahrawis who are involved in the kidnapping of two French in Mali,” said the Saharawi coordinator with MINURSO, Mhamed Khadad, who signed the statement.

“The Government of Mali has confirmed to the Saharawi authorities through appropriate diplomatic channels, that it has not made any statements to the AFP in Bamako about Western Sahara, the Polisario Front and the Sahrawi people in general,” Mr. Khaddad added. (SPS)